Fat Trel Explains The Meaning Of "Gleesh", Talks Artwork Controversy

Fat Trel tals to HNHH in an exclusive interview, speaking on his "Gleesh" mixtape, the infamous cover art, and the future of his Slutty Boyz crew.

Fat Trel has made major strides in the last year. After getting picked up by MMG in 2013, the DC rapper has wasted no time in getting his name out there, releasing his Gleeshmixtape, as well as a project with his Slutty Boyz crew, Da New Kool. All the while, he has shown no compromise in his style or substance.

In fact, his controversial choice of mixtape artwork for Gleesh landed him in a bit of hot water earlier in the year, a topic he touched on in an exclusive interview with HNHH. The SDMG rapper also commented on the DC significance of the tape's title, the high profile features he was able to assemble for the Slutty Boys project, and what he has in store for us next.

"Gleesh is my nickname," Trel said of his mixtape title, revealing that it's rooted in DC slang. "Gleesh is another word for a shitbag in DC... like a goon. In DC we call them a gleesh."

The rapper then spoke briefly on the reasoning behind Glee's lawsuit threat against his cover art, which spoofed the show's poster in a particularly extreme way. "Basically they just felt disrespected," he said. "They felt like I downsized their character. It is what it is. That's Fat Trel for you. We make bitches cry. We skeet on bitches faces."

As far as the impressive list of guest features goes on the new Slutty Boyz project, Trel explained that they were all earned out of mutual respect. "We've been doing this shit for years. Although a lot of people just now getting hip to it," he said. "Slutty Boys been doing it for years. So you know we fuck with French [Montana]. We fuck with Chinx and Coke Boys. We be in the A heavy. We rock with [Rich Homie] Quan. We rock with Young Thug. Juicy J, that's the OG. I did a whole tour with Juicy J two years back. Everybody just showed love. We didn't pay for none of the features. Everybody really looked out for us."

The MMG rapper is confident that his crew will only continue to gain prominence in the rap game. "Of course they have the talent. They have the power. We just gotta keep hustlin'. We just gotta keep puttin' it in they face," he said. "We got 20, 30 more years of this shit. A lot of people forget how old we is. Niggas think we old. We all 90s babies. Slutty Boyz is definitely on they grind, and they will be where they need to be. They will surpass all their limitations and goals, just like I am, and that's a guarantee."

While he does have some new music in the works, Fat Trel explained that the main focus right now is promoting his current tape. "We working on a new project. It ain't titled yet, but basically we just hitting the road. I haven't shot a lot of videos for Gleesh, so we about to get the MTV and BET poppin'. Just work man, more work. And of course, whatever the big homie [Rick Ross] say, it's a go."